UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje · May 07, 2022 · Heavyweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje Next Fight
Age 39
Height 5' 11"
Reach 73.0"
Weight 250 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Age 40
Height 6' 1"
Reach 75"
Weight 253 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Blagoy Ivanov
3.25 SLpM
40.0% Str. Acc.
4.2 SApM
53.0% Str. Def.
0.69 TD Avg
40.0% TD Acc.
61.0% TD Def.
0.1 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Marcos Rogério de Lima
3.7 SLpM
57.0% Str. Acc.
2.9 SApM
51.0% Str. Def.
1.4 TD Avg
45.0% TD Acc.
59.0% TD Def.
0.5 Sub. Avg
Blagoy Ivanov
Moneyline
BetMGM -145
KO/TKO
BetRivers +350
Submission
BetMGM +500
Decision
FanDuel +270
Marcos Rogério de Lima
Moneyline
DraftKings +135
KO/TKO
FanDuel +300
Submission
FanDuel +1100
Decision
FanDuel +500
Blagoy Ivanov - Fight History
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Strickland vs. Magomedov · Jul 01, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Alexandr Romanov 0 85 of 154 55% 104 of 180 2 of 3 66% 0 0 2:53
Blagoy Ivanov 0 44 of 108 40% 44 of 108 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Alexandr Romanov 0 17 of 31 54% 17 of 31 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:07
Blagoy Ivanov 0 13 of 29 44% 13 of 29 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Alexandr Romanov 0 22 of 41 53% 38 of 64 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:43
Blagoy Ivanov 0 9 of 28 32% 9 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Alexandr Romanov 0 46 of 82 56% 49 of 85 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:03
Blagoy Ivanov 0 22 of 51 43% 22 of 51 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Alexandr Romanov 85 of 154 55% 52 of 121 11 of 11 22 of 22 74 of 137 4 of 4 7 of 13
Blagoy Ivanov 44 of 108 40% 38 of 102 5 of 5 1 of 1 44 of 108 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Alexandr Romanov 17 of 31 54% 5 of 19 5 of 5 7 of 7 16 of 30 1 of 1 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 13 of 29 44% 11 of 27 1 of 1 1 of 1 13 of 29 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Alexandr Romanov 22 of 41 53% 12 of 31 2 of 2 8 of 8 18 of 37 1 of 1 3 of 3
Blagoy Ivanov 9 of 28 32% 7 of 26 2 of 2 0 of 0 9 of 28 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Alexandr Romanov 46 of 82 56% 35 of 71 4 of 4 7 of 7 40 of 70 2 of 2 4 of 10
Blagoy Ivanov 22 of 51 43% 20 of 49 2 of 2 0 of 0 22 of 51 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jun 25, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Angelo picks Blagoy Ivanov but with hesitation, contingent on Romanov's weight cut. He notes Romanov's recent poor performances and lack of cardio, while Ivanov has an iron chin and solid takedown defense. He plans to wait for weigh-ins: if Romanov looks in shape, he'll switch to Romanov; if not, he'll bet Ivanov. He mentions Ivanov at +125.

waiting for weigh-ins; potential bet on Ivanov if Romanov looks out of shape
"right now the pick is going to be Ivanov I the pig is going to be blue Ivanov because Alexander romanov's last two fights he had one round of cardio"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Jun 26, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Big Brady picks Blagoy Ivanov to win by third-round finish, but is very hesitant. He notes Romanov has cardio issues and looked terrible at weigh-ins for his last fight, gassing after one minute. Ivanov is extremely durable, has never been knocked out, and has gone to decision in all seven UFC fights. Brady says he needs to see Romanov's weigh-ins to have a stronger opinion, but if Ivanov survives the first round, he should take over and possibly finish late.

third round finish
"I'll say he takes over I'll say third round finish four but goal even off"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked Jun 28, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Alexandr Romanov

Cody is torn on Romanov. He notes Romanov's potential and wrestling, but his poor cardio and questionable heart after the Volkov loss. He thinks if Romanov comes in shape, he can take Ivanov down and win early rounds. However, Ivanov is extremely durable and has never been finished. Cody suggests waiting for weigh-ins and considering live betting.

Live bet Romanov after first round if he looks good
"I am going to pick Romanov but the best way to attack this thing is live"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jun 29, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Daniel picks Ivanov pre-weigh-ins due to Romanov's inconsistency and weight issues. He notes Romanov's drastic weight fluctuation (239 to 264 lbs) and his tendency to quit after failed takedowns. Ivanov is durable, has a 70% takedown defense, and has been competitive in all his losses. However, Daniel reserves the right to change his pick if Romanov weighs in lean (239 lbs). He calls it a 'wait for weigh-ins' situation.

"pre weigh-ins I'ma go blagoy because at least I know like is going to give his best"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jun 28, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Paul picks Ivanov, citing his durability and proven ability to go 15 minutes. He notes Romanov has never shown he can fight past the second round without gassing. Ivanov has gone the distance with top heavyweights and has good grappling. Paul thinks Romanov's cardio and mental toughness are major question marks, and Ivanov will outlast him.

Ivanov round 3 at 12-1
"I'm gonna take every single time the guy has proven time and time again against Elite level competition that he can fight 15 minutes we haven't seen that from Romanov so yeah it's black boy black boy for me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant picked Jun 27, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Alexandr Romanov

The Guru picks Alexander Romanov but expresses hesitation due to Romanov's terrible performance against Alexander Volkov, where he gave up after a stuffed takedown. However, he believes Romanov can out-grapple Blagoy Ivanov, who is fat and unathletic, using his signature forearm choke. He uses MMA algebra: Romanov outgrappled Tybura, who outgrappled Ivanov. He notes Ivanov is not adding new wrinkles and is aging.

forearm choke submission
"I'm gonna go with Alexander Romanov here over blogore Ivanov I I have to pick Romanov to win"
LOSS vs Marcin Tybura
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivac · Feb 04, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marcin Tybura 0 40 of 103 38% 61 of 133 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:55
Blagoy Ivanov 0 34 of 113 30% 34 of 113 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marcin Tybura 0 22 of 45 48% 22 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 12 of 41 29% 12 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Marcin Tybura 0 17 of 57 29% 17 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 22 of 72 30% 22 of 72 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Marcin Tybura 0 1 of 1 100% 22 of 31 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:55
Blagoy Ivanov 0 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marcin Tybura 40 of 103 38% 12 of 70 19 of 24 9 of 9 39 of 102 0 of 0 1 of 1
Blagoy Ivanov 34 of 113 30% 24 of 98 10 of 15 0 of 0 34 of 112 0 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marcin Tybura 22 of 45 48% 5 of 26 10 of 12 7 of 7 22 of 45 0 of 0 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 12 of 41 29% 8 of 35 4 of 6 0 of 0 12 of 40 0 of 1 0 of 0
2 Marcin Tybura 17 of 57 29% 7 of 44 9 of 12 1 of 1 17 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 22 of 72 30% 16 of 63 6 of 9 0 of 0 22 of 72 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Marcin Tybura 1 of 1 100% 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1
Blagoy Ivanov 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Jan 29, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Big Brady calls this a messy fight and expects it to go to a greasy decision. He picks the underdog Ivanov because he is more durable and has never been finished, while Tybura has been finished multiple times. He is not confident and advises against betting.

over 2.5 rounds, fight goes to decision
"I'm gonna take even off to win a very greasy split decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Feb 1, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Cody picks Ivanov at plus money, calling it a close heavyweight fight. He believes Ivanov has a slight edge in technical boxing and volume. He notes both fighters are low-volume and durable, expecting a decision. He took Ivanov at +130 and thinks the fight is essentially 50-50, so he takes the underdog.

"I took the plus money at plus 130... I think he's got a maybe a slight Edge in uh in like technical boxing a slight Edge in volume"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Feb 2, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Marcin Tybura

Connor picks Marcin Tybura, expecting a split decision. He notes that Tybura is more proactive with kicks and combinations, and will likely be the one initiating clinch exchanges. However, he acknowledges Ivanov's durability and defensive wrestling, which could make the fight ugly. Connor is confident it will be a split decision but leans Tybura due to higher output.

split decision
"I am absolutely confident that this will be a split decision... I got to assume that Tibora just being more proactive is going to win in this fight."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Feb 1, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Marcin Tybura

Paul picks Tybura, arguing that Ivanov has looked slow and predictable in recent fights. He notes Ivanov's poor cardio and lack of takedown attempts, while Tybura has good cardio and mobility for a heavyweight. He expects Tybura to outwork Ivanov, especially in the later rounds. He also likes the under on Tybura 1.5 takedowns on PrizePicks.

Tybura under 1.5 takedowns (PrizePicks)
"I went the other way I just can't get behind blah boy anymore... gotta go the other way here in marcine Tabor but middling heavyweights expect the worst"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Feb 2, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Marcin Tybura

Zane picks Marcin Tybura, agreeing that it will be a split decision. He notes that Tybura has better tools at range and is more likely to control the clinch. However, he warns that Ivanov's power and chin could cause an upset if Tybura gets hurt. Zane sees Tybura's improved composure as a key factor.

split decision
"I am absolutely confident that this will be a split decision... I got to assume that Tibora just being more proactive is going to win in this fight."
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje · May 07, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Blagoy Ivanov 0 62 of 128 48% 75 of 142 0 of 4 0% 0 0 3:52
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 68 of 133 51% 81 of 147 1 of 5 20% 0 0 2:04
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Blagoy Ivanov 0 12 of 29 41% 15 of 32 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:32
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 25 of 45 55% 25 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Blagoy Ivanov 0 30 of 54 55% 33 of 58 0 of 2 0% 0 0 2:09
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 26 of 56 46% 35 of 65 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:17
3 Blagoy Ivanov 0 20 of 45 44% 27 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:11
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 17 of 32 53% 21 of 37 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:47
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Blagoy Ivanov 62 of 128 48% 53 of 118 9 of 10 0 of 0 54 of 118 8 of 10 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima 68 of 133 51% 46 of 107 18 of 20 4 of 6 58 of 115 10 of 18 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Blagoy Ivanov 12 of 29 41% 9 of 26 3 of 3 0 of 0 11 of 27 1 of 2 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima 25 of 45 55% 10 of 27 12 of 13 3 of 5 23 of 42 2 of 3 0 of 0
2 Blagoy Ivanov 30 of 54 55% 24 of 48 6 of 6 0 of 0 27 of 51 3 of 3 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima 26 of 56 46% 22 of 51 3 of 4 1 of 1 19 of 44 7 of 12 0 of 0
3 Blagoy Ivanov 20 of 45 44% 20 of 44 0 of 1 0 of 0 16 of 40 4 of 5 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima 17 of 32 53% 14 of 29 3 of 3 0 of 0 16 of 29 1 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2022 (7 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Angelo picks Blagoy Ivanov, citing his iron chin and combat sambo background. He believes Ivanov's chin will frustrate de Lima and that if Ivanov gets a takedown, he will have a clear advantage on top. He notes that six of de Lima's seven losses are by submission, providing a clear path.

"I do like ivanov or ivanov to get the win here i think his chin will frustrate de lima"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 2, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Big Brady picks Blagoy Ivanov to win by second-round submission. He notes that de Lima is dangerous early with power and leg kicks, but he fades and has poor takedown defense (47%) and submission defense. Ivanov is extremely durable, having eaten shots from heavy hitters and survived a stabbing. Brady thinks de Lima will win the first round but Ivanov will take over in the second, taking de Lima down and submitting him. He compares it to the Struve fight where Struve submitted de Lima after nearly being finished.

second round submission
"I think ivanov takes down to lima de lima's takedown defense is not good it's sitting at like 50 it's actually sitting at 47 percent and then on top of that his gas tank's not good his submission defense is …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 4, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Cody picks Blagoy Ivanov, emphasizing his incredible durability (survived stabbing, fought Fedor, Derrick Lewis). He notes that de Lima has poor cardio, weak submission defense, and relies on early power. Cody believes Ivanov can take de Lima's best shots and then take over as de Lima fades. He sees Ivanov's takedown defense and chin as decisive factors.

"i completely agree i think blagoy ivanov uh he just the way he matches up against roger de lima can give him a whole lot of problems"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked May 5, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Daniel Levi picks Blagoy Ivanov by decision, citing his durability and never being finished. He notes de Lima is powerful early but fades and has low volume. He worries about Ivanov's own low output but thinks he can grind out a win. He does not bet the fight.

Daniel does not bet this fight. He mentions Ivanov by decision but no bet.
"The pick is for me is going to be Ivanov by decision but I don't have a bet on either fighter in this matchup."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 6, 2022 (1 day before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

The host picks Blagoy Ivanov, citing his durability and ability to survive de Lima's early power. He notes Ivanov's chin held up against heavy hitters like Derrick Lewis. He expects Ivanov to weather the first round, then wear on de Lima and finish him later. He likes the round 3 prop at +1000 and decision prop at +185. He plans to bet 1.4-1.5 units on Ivanov moneyline, acknowledging the layoff risk but believing Ivanov is rightly favored and could be even shorter.

Ivanov round 3 +1000; Ivanov by decision +185; de Lima round 1 KO +800 as hedge
"i'm gonna likely take a shot on it maybe a like a 1.4 or 1.5 unit play on blagoy even off"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 4, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Paul picks Blagoy Ivanov, surprised the line is so close. He notes that Ivanov is durable and has never been finished, while de Lima gasses and has poor takedown defense. Paul believes Ivanov's takedown defense and chin will be key, and that de Lima's only path is an early knockout. He expects Ivanov to win by decision or late stoppage.

"i feel like blagoy is the side here and it's not particularly close i'm surprised that the line is this close"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 2, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

The MMA Guru picks Blagoy Ivanov, trusting his granite chin and consistency against a higher level of competition. He notes Ivanov went five rounds with JDS and arguably beat Derrick Lewis. He criticizes de Lima's inconsistency and believes Ivanov will grind out a close 29-28 decision by pressuring and winning stand-up exchanges. He dismisses the height difference as not significant.

"i'm going to trust him blagojev enough getting this one done um they say there's a massive height difference i don't think there's going to be too much of a height difference"
LOSS vs Augusto Sakai
Decision (split) (27–30, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Woodley vs. Burns · May 30, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Augusto Sakai 0 66 of 125 52% 71 of 130 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:08
Blagoy Ivanov 0 78 of 161 48% 89 of 174 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:46
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Augusto Sakai 0 15 of 27 55% 19 of 31 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:29
Blagoy Ivanov 0 12 of 38 31% 16 of 42 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:18
2 Augusto Sakai 0 30 of 49 61% 31 of 50 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:39
Blagoy Ivanov 0 34 of 61 55% 39 of 68 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:02
3 Augusto Sakai 0 21 of 49 42% 21 of 49 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 32 of 62 51% 34 of 64 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Augusto Sakai 66 of 125 52% 47 of 105 18 of 19 1 of 1 52 of 107 12 of 15 2 of 3
Blagoy Ivanov 78 of 161 48% 35 of 105 28 of 38 15 of 18 62 of 144 14 of 15 2 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Augusto Sakai 15 of 27 55% 9 of 21 6 of 6 0 of 0 10 of 22 5 of 5 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 12 of 38 31% 3 of 24 4 of 8 5 of 6 10 of 35 2 of 3 0 of 0
2 Augusto Sakai 30 of 49 61% 20 of 39 9 of 9 1 of 1 24 of 39 4 of 7 2 of 3
Blagoy Ivanov 34 of 61 55% 18 of 40 9 of 13 7 of 8 23 of 50 9 of 9 2 of 2
3 Augusto Sakai 21 of 49 42% 18 of 45 3 of 4 0 of 0 18 of 46 3 of 3 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 32 of 62 51% 14 of 41 15 of 17 3 of 4 29 of 59 3 of 3 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked May 27, 2020 (3 days before fight)
Augusto Sakai

Big Brady picks Augusto Sakai to win a very close decision. He thinks Sakai will land more volume and that Ivanov's grappling game plan is unlikely to materialize since Ivanov hasn't used takedowns much in the UFC. He notes that both fighters have great chins and have never been finished, so he expects a boring heavyweight fight that goes to the judges. He admits it's a close fight and wouldn't be surprised if Ivanov gets the decision.

"I'm going to side with Sakai to win by a very very close decision"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked May 29, 2020 (1 day before fight)
Augusto Sakai

Daniel picks Sakai, citing his improvements in diet and conditioning, his muay thai skills, and his ability to pressure and outwork Ivanov. He notes that Ivanov is one-dimensional, only countering with left hands, and that Sakai's volume and durability will be key. He believes Sakai can either knock out Ivanov or win a decision.

"i think sakai is the younger man the taller man the guy with the longer reach the guy that throws more volume the more durable guy"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 23, 2020 (7 days before fight)
Augusto Sakai

The MMA Guru picks Augusto Sakai to win by first-round TKO. He compares Sakai to Derrick Lewis but with better technique and more fight IQ. He predicts Sakai will push Ivanov against the cage and land knees and elbows in the clinch for a finish.

Sakai by TKO in round 1
"August osika is gonna push block away up against a cage blast knees to the body blast elbows in the clinch getting the finish in the first round"
LOSS vs Derrick Lewis
Decision (split) (30–27, 28–29, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz · Nov 02, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Derrick Lewis 0 31 of 68 45% 32 of 69 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:07
Blagoy Ivanov 0 20 of 38 52% 61 of 83 3 of 6 50% 1 0 3:22
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Derrick Lewis 0 8 of 18 44% 9 of 19 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:54
Blagoy Ivanov 0 4 of 5 80% 23 of 24 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:44
2 Derrick Lewis 0 14 of 29 48% 14 of 29 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:13
Blagoy Ivanov 0 9 of 16 56% 13 of 22 2 of 2 100% 1 0 1:33
3 Derrick Lewis 0 9 of 21 42% 9 of 21 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 7 of 17 41% 25 of 37 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:05
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Derrick Lewis 31 of 68 45% 21 of 54 8 of 11 2 of 3 9 of 27 22 of 41 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 20 of 38 52% 12 of 27 7 of 10 1 of 1 12 of 24 8 of 14 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Derrick Lewis 8 of 18 44% 5 of 13 3 of 5 0 of 0 2 of 5 6 of 13 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 4 of 5 80% 1 of 2 3 of 3 0 of 0 1 of 2 3 of 3 0 of 0
2 Derrick Lewis 14 of 29 48% 10 of 25 2 of 2 2 of 2 3 of 9 11 of 20 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 9 of 16 56% 6 of 11 2 of 4 1 of 1 5 of 10 4 of 6 0 of 0
3 Derrick Lewis 9 of 21 42% 6 of 16 3 of 4 0 of 1 4 of 13 5 of 8 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 7 of 17 41% 5 of 14 2 of 3 0 of 0 6 of 12 1 of 5 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Derrick Lewis vs. Blagoy Ivanov

Round 1
Heavyweights are set to throw down as Lewis (21-7, 1 NC; 12-5 UFC) attempts to become the first fighter to ever knock out the
incredibly durable and fearless
Ivanov (18-2, 1 NC; 2-1 UFC). Attempting to keep a lid on this 522.4-pound potential slugfest is referee Todd Anderson. They touch gloves, and Lewis immediately walks down Ivanov. The Bulgarian keeps his distance, pawing out a right jab to figure out his range, and chants of "USA" rain down from the crowd. Lewis whiffs on a low kick, but Ivanov is unable to capitalize on it as he tries to feint his way in. Lewis stalks down Ivanov and tries to cork a right hand, but instead throws a body kick. Ivanov catches it and pulls Lewis down, where he steps right into side control and looks to set up a crucifix position before yanking on Lewis' arm. Lewis explodes to his feet and throws everything he has into a few punches that catch Ivanov square. Ivanov is hurt, but he shakes it off, so Lewis throws a head kick that makes him fall over. In the clinch, shockingly Lewis shoots in for a takedown, and he hits it. Ivanov stands back up without much effort, while Lewis leans heavy on his opponent. Ivanov pulls into a Thai plum and fires a knee up the middle, and "The Black Beast" eats it without issue. Hanging tight on one another, they occasionally separate to throw a punch or two, and Ivanov tries to throw Lewis over his hip but Lewis stays upright. Lewis swings heavy with right hands, and as Ivanov breaks free, he trades right back. We return to the center of the cage, and seem content on trying to set up that huge overhand shot -- Lewis with his right, and Ivanov with his left. Neither score it, although Ivanov aims at the body once, and the horn sounds. Close round put in by these two to start things off.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lewis
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Lewis
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Lewis

Round 2
The second round begins with chants of "Let's go Lewis," but neither man react to it, until Ivanov slams a big left hook directly on Lewis' chin. The Texan wears it well and tries to clinch up, and on the break barely misses with a big uppercut. Lewis lands a decent leg kick, and then leaps in to crack Ivanov with punches. With his back against the fence, Ivanov unloads some bombs and appears to briefly hurt Lewis. "The Black Beast" throws wildly, and takes a moment to rest, so Ivanov takes him down. Right into side control, Ivanov aims to secure a keylock, but Lewis holds a thumbs-up to indicate that he is alright. Like the first round, Lewis bursts out of the position and stands up, and follows that with serious hooks that bloody up Ivanov under both of his eyes. The Bulgarian survives the brunt of the assault and circles away, before they take a break in the center of the cage. Ivanov crashes forward into the clinch and brings up a solid knee before throwing a couple uppercuts. Lewis cracks Ivanov with a huge knee, and Ivanov practically shrugs it off and walks Lewis down. A lead right hand is followed by two lefts from Ivanov, and Lewis stays calm and takes it on the jaw while trying to catch his breath. With seconds left, Ivanov throws Lewis to the ground and pulls for a guillotine. It is not tight, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lewis
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Lewis
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov

Round 3
The final round begins tentatively, with the two touching gloves and taking their time to engage. Finally, Ivanov leads in with a right and then a looping left, but Lewis is out of the way in time. Lewis chambers a right hand and finally sends it Ivanov's direction, but it does not find the target. Ivanov digs to the body with a few punches, so Lewis fires back with a big right that misses as well. The Bulgarian initiates the clinch, and although he lands a knee and a few uppercuts, the pace has waned significantly between these two large men. Ivanov almost trips Lewis to the ground, but Lewis regains his footing and reacts to a faked shot from Ivanov. Lewis swings with all his might in an uppercut that would make a Mortal Kombat player blush, but it merely blows the hair back from those in the front row. Lewis whiffs with a big right, but he lands a knee, and rushes in to take Ivanov down. Ivanov cannot set up a choke, so Lewis pops out and throws a vicious right hand that Ivanov ducks. The Bulgarian briefly considers changing levels to get Lewis down but there is nothing doing, so he instead goes after a few short uppercuts. Lewis tries to fire back with an elbow, but it glances off the side of Ivanov's head. With 15 seconds left, the crowd roars to life as the two men trade wildly. Lewis tags Ivanov with a right hand and then a knee, and this fight comes to a glorious end. The scorecards could be all over the map in this fight, as these rounds have been very close. The scores delivered by our official scorers may not quite reflect how just close this fight played out.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Lewis (30-27 Lewis)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Lewis (30-27 Lewis)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Lewis (29-28 Lewis)

The Official Result
Derrick Lewis def. Blagoy Ivanov via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
WIN vs Tai Tuivasa
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 238: Cejudo vs. Moraes · Jun 08, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Blagoy Ivanov 0 64 of 144 44% 66 of 146 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:38
Tai Tuivasa 1 73 of 123 59% 81 of 131 2 of 2 100% 0 0 2:38
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Blagoy Ivanov 0 14 of 37 37% 15 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:48
Tai Tuivasa 1 22 of 34 64% 23 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:30
2 Blagoy Ivanov 0 27 of 62 43% 27 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:24
Tai Tuivasa 0 30 of 54 55% 30 of 54 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:07
3 Blagoy Ivanov 0 23 of 45 51% 24 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Tai Tuivasa 0 21 of 35 60% 28 of 42 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Blagoy Ivanov 64 of 144 44% 39 of 114 6 of 7 19 of 23 50 of 126 14 of 18 0 of 0
Tai Tuivasa 73 of 123 59% 65 of 114 7 of 8 1 of 1 62 of 111 5 of 6 6 of 6
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Blagoy Ivanov 14 of 37 37% 10 of 32 1 of 1 3 of 4 9 of 32 5 of 5 0 of 0
Tai Tuivasa 22 of 34 64% 20 of 31 2 of 3 0 of 0 16 of 28 1 of 1 5 of 5
2 Blagoy Ivanov 27 of 62 43% 17 of 51 1 of 1 9 of 10 24 of 57 3 of 5 0 of 0
Tai Tuivasa 30 of 54 55% 27 of 51 3 of 3 0 of 0 30 of 53 0 of 1 0 of 0
3 Blagoy Ivanov 23 of 45 51% 12 of 31 4 of 5 7 of 9 17 of 37 6 of 8 0 of 0
Tai Tuivasa 21 of 35 60% 18 of 32 2 of 2 1 of 1 16 of 30 4 of 4 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Tai Tuivasa vs. Blagoy Ivanov

Round 1
The first fight of the pay-per-view portion of UFC 238 is a heavyweight bout between Tai Tuivasa and Blagoy Ivanov. The referee is Dan Miragliotta. They touch gloves and the fight is on. Tuivasa with a low kick. He moves forward but Ivanov circles away. Tuivasa clips Ivanov with a straight right. They clinch against the cage. Tuivasa connects on a short elbow in the clinch. He continues to lean on Ivanov against the cage. They break. Ivanov lands a right hook and drops Tuivasa. Ivanov is now looking for the neck of Tuivasa but Tuivasa recovers quickly and clinches up with Ivanov again. Ivanov has the neck of Tuivasa and uses it to turn Tuivasa against the fence. They break. Tuivasa lands a knee to the body. Ivanov with a straight left hand. Ivanov lands a right hook that wobbles Tuivasa, who responds with a nice 1-2 combination. Ivanov lands a straight right. He lands a straight left and backs Tuivasa up once again. The round soon comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores
Adam Martin scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov
Ant Walker scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov

Round 2
Round two begins. Ivanov clips Tuivasa with a straight left again. Jab by Ivanov. Tuivasa rocks Ivanov with a straight right. Ivanov is on wobbly legs and could be in serious trouble. Ivanov manages to clinch up and regain his composure. Low kick by Tuivasa. Ivanov lands a straight left. Another straight left by Ivanov. Jab by Ivanov. Tuivasa lands a jab of his own. Ivanov backs Tuivasa against the fence. Tuivasa lands a 1-2 on Ivanov. Jab by Tuivasa. He lands a nasty low kick. Ivanov with a straight left. Both guys are very tired and very slow right now. Ivanov lands a 1-2 of his own. Left straight to the body by Ivanov. Another jab by Ivanov. Tuivasa returns with one of his own. Low kick by Tuivasa. They clinch up. Ivanov is able to drag Tuivasa down to the ground and actually taps Tuivasa out with a guillotine choke but it was after the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Adam Martin scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov
Ant Walker scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov

Round 3
Round three begins. Tuivasa comes out with a jab but Ivanov moves forward and clubs him with a right hook. Tuivasa lands a right hook on Ivanov. They clinch up. Ivanov takes the neck of Tuivasa and drags him to the mat. Tuivasa gets back to his feet but Ivanov continues to lean into him against the cage. They jockey positions against the cage. Ivanov starts to knee Tuivasa in the body. They break. Tuivasa likely needs a finish if he wants to get his hand raised. Tuivasa lands an overhand right and Ivanov returns with a straight left. Another straight left by Ivanov. He lands another left hand, which has been money for him the whole fight. Low kick by Tuivasa. Both guys are absolutely exhausted right now. Jab by Ivanov. The fight comes to a close with both men absolutely exhausted. Terrible fight and you have to question the UFC’s decision to put this on the main card.

Sherdog Scores
Adam Martin scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov (30-27 Ivanov)
Ant Walker scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov (30-27 Ivanov)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Ivanov (30-27 Ivanov)

The Official Result
Blagoy Ivanov def. Tai Tuivasa via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
WIN vs Ben Rothwell
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. dos Santos · Mar 09, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Blagoy Ivanov 0 72 of 178 40% 73 of 179 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ben Rothwell 0 70 of 163 42% 70 of 163 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Blagoy Ivanov 0 19 of 39 48% 19 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ben Rothwell 0 9 of 22 40% 9 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Blagoy Ivanov 0 29 of 75 38% 29 of 75 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ben Rothwell 0 28 of 59 47% 28 of 59 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Blagoy Ivanov 0 24 of 64 37% 25 of 65 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ben Rothwell 0 33 of 82 40% 33 of 82 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Blagoy Ivanov 72 of 178 40% 50 of 156 19 of 19 3 of 3 70 of 175 2 of 3 0 of 0
Ben Rothwell 70 of 163 42% 47 of 135 6 of 10 17 of 18 69 of 162 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Blagoy Ivanov 19 of 39 48% 11 of 31 8 of 8 0 of 0 17 of 37 2 of 2 0 of 0
Ben Rothwell 9 of 22 40% 4 of 17 0 of 0 5 of 5 9 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Blagoy Ivanov 29 of 75 38% 24 of 70 4 of 4 1 of 1 29 of 75 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ben Rothwell 28 of 59 47% 21 of 48 2 of 6 5 of 5 28 of 59 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Blagoy Ivanov 24 of 64 37% 15 of 55 7 of 7 2 of 2 24 of 63 0 of 1 0 of 0
Ben Rothwell 33 of 82 40% 22 of 70 4 of 4 7 of 8 32 of 81 1 of 1 0 of 0
Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 50–45, 50–45) R5 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: dos Santos vs. Ivanov · Jul 14, 2018
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Junior dos Santos 0 110 of 248 44% 110 of 248 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 51 of 229 22% 51 of 229 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Junior dos Santos 0 8 of 28 28% 8 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 5 of 26 19% 5 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Junior dos Santos 0 26 of 48 54% 26 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 6 of 38 15% 6 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Junior dos Santos 0 19 of 48 39% 19 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 8 of 45 17% 8 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
4 Junior dos Santos 0 20 of 57 35% 20 of 57 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 15 of 59 25% 15 of 59 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
5 Junior dos Santos 0 37 of 67 55% 37 of 67 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Blagoy Ivanov 0 17 of 61 27% 17 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Junior dos Santos 110 of 248 44% 66 of 170 41 of 75 3 of 3 110 of 248 0 of 0 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 51 of 229 22% 40 of 213 10 of 15 1 of 1 49 of 227 2 of 2 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Junior dos Santos 8 of 28 28% 2 of 11 5 of 16 1 of 1 8 of 28 0 of 0 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 5 of 26 19% 4 of 23 1 of 3 0 of 0 5 of 26 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Junior dos Santos 26 of 48 54% 16 of 30 9 of 17 1 of 1 26 of 48 0 of 0 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 6 of 38 15% 3 of 35 2 of 2 1 of 1 6 of 38 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Junior dos Santos 19 of 48 39% 16 of 38 3 of 10 0 of 0 19 of 48 0 of 0 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 8 of 45 17% 6 of 40 2 of 5 0 of 0 8 of 45 0 of 0 0 of 0
4 Junior dos Santos 20 of 57 35% 12 of 43 8 of 14 0 of 0 20 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 15 of 59 25% 13 of 57 2 of 2 0 of 0 15 of 59 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Junior dos Santos 37 of 67 55% 20 of 48 16 of 18 1 of 1 37 of 67 0 of 0 0 of 0
Blagoy Ivanov 17 of 61 27% 14 of 58 3 of 3 0 of 0 15 of 59 2 of 2 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima - Fight History
WIN vs Junior Tafa
TKO (leg kick and punches) R2 1:14 · UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria · Feb 17, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marcos Rogério de Lima 1 33 of 46 71% 63 of 78 1 of 3 33% 0 0 3:26
Junior Tafa 0 11 of 27 40% 17 of 33 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 27 of 36 75% 55 of 66 1 of 3 33% 0 0 3:08
Junior Tafa 0 6 of 18 33% 10 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Marcos Rogério de Lima 1 6 of 10 60% 8 of 12 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:18
Junior Tafa 0 5 of 9 55% 7 of 11 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marcos Rogério de Lima 33 of 46 71% 19 of 31 2 of 2 12 of 13 22 of 32 1 of 1 10 of 13
Junior Tafa 11 of 27 40% 9 of 24 1 of 2 1 of 1 10 of 26 0 of 0 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 27 of 36 75% 16 of 24 2 of 2 9 of 10 18 of 25 1 of 1 8 of 10
Junior Tafa 6 of 18 33% 5 of 16 1 of 2 0 of 0 5 of 17 0 of 0 1 of 1
2 Marcos Rogério de Lima 6 of 10 60% 3 of 7 0 of 0 3 of 3 4 of 7 0 of 0 2 of 3
Junior Tafa 5 of 9 55% 4 of 8 0 of 0 1 of 1 5 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Junior Tafa
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: NA

Round 1
In something never before seen in the Octagon, brother will replace brother in a match. On weigh-in day, Justin Tafa was expected to be facing Rogerio de Lima (21-9-1, 10-7 UFC). Due to an unexpected injury and some speedy negotiations, the Brazilian will now collide with Junior Tafa (5-1, 1-1 UFC) instead. Life finds a way. Referee Frank Trigg is ready for this heavyweight slobberknocker to get underway, and Tafa stretches his arm out to get a glove touch before getting after it. Rogerio de Lima scores first with a low kick as he backs Tafa to the wall, and when Tafa reaches out with a jab, Rogerio de Lima connects with a second and then a third. Tafa switches stances and lands the single jab, and he hops away from a sweeping leg kick. The kicks are already having an effect on his opponent, and Rogerio de Lima recognizes that. Rogerio de Lima backs off, connects with a few punches and assaults the lead wheel with another kick, and Tafa’s leg nearly gives out beneath him. Tafa hops around, and instead of getting away, Rogerio de Lima pushes after him with a clinch. Tafa welcomes this so he can recover, and when they eventually break, Tafa plods forward to throw haymakers with anything he has left. Rogerio de Lima belts him with another pair of leg kicks, and Tafa backs up to the wall and waves him on. The Brazilian swarms him with punches and body shots, and he shoots in for a double that he completes with relative ease. Rogerio de Lima lands on top in half guard, maintaining heavy top pressure and bopping Tafa with his left hand when he finds an opening. Rogerio de Lima smothers his man until Tafa sits up. Rogerio de Lima considers a choke from an unusual position, and Tafa breaks out, relatively speaking, so he can swing a heavy hand at his opponent. Rogerio de Lima does not like this, so he lowers his chest down to squeeze on Tafa. The grind carries out until the horn bleats.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Rogerio de Lima
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Rogerio de Lima
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Rogerio de Lima

Round 2
Tafa struggles to get back to his feet at the end of the last round, but after a minute to recover, he appears fresh enough to continue. Tafa wades forward, and Rogerio de Lima intercepts him with a calf kick and pushes him down with his fists. Tafa switches to southpaw to protect his wrecked leg, and he lunges forward with an inaccurate punch that allows Rogerio de Lima the close proximity to grab him and shove him to the fencing. Tafa turns around and lands a body shot before pushing away, and he lets his hands go with a mighty right hand.
Rogerio de Lima delivers a harsh calf kick that collapses Tafa’s lead leg, and he looks to Trigg to wave the fight off. Trigg watches on without jumping in, so Rogerio de Lima decides to jump on top and pound away with hammerfists until Trigg calls it.
Tafa fought valiantly, but his replacement effort proved unsuccessful.

The Official Result
Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Junior Tafa R2 1:14 via TKO (Leg Kick and Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Feb 11, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

Angelo picks Junior Tafa as an underdog, noting his power and durability. He thinks Marcos will struggle to take Tafa down due to Tafa's size and hips. He plans to bet Tafa inside the distance decision no action, as Tafa has finishing upside and Marcos is likely to win a decision if he avoids the knockout.

Junior Tafa wins inside distance (decision no action)
"I think Justin taffa is more than enough durable to not get finished here and all the finishing upside is on his side"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Feb 13, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Big Brady picks Marcos Rogério de Lima to win by first-round submission. He notes de Lima has more ways to win with his BJJ black belt and wrestling, and expects him to get the fight to the mat where Tafa is untested. He acknowledges Tafa has power and could land a knockout, but leans de Lima due to his grappling advantage. He says he can't have much confidence in either fighter.

de Lima by submission, round 1
"give me to Lima first round sub I don't think this fight is going is going to last long one way or another but give me the guy that I think has more ways to win"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Feb 14, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

Cody picks Tafa as a dog, expressing strong dislike for de Lima. He notes de Lima's poor cardio and tendency to gas after one round, as seen in the Stefan Struve fight. He believes Tafa's power will eventually catch de Lima, especially if de Lima tires. He sees Tafa as a live underdog at plus money.

"I will take we got a under dog on McKenzie Daren was the first dog pick of the card I'm going to go follow it up with the second dog pick and take tofa."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Hesitant picked Feb 13, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

Daniel Vreeland picks Junior Tafa, despite acknowledging de Lima's experience and grappling advantage. He is concerned about de Lima's recent knockout loss to Derrick Lewis, where he suffered severe dental damage, and questions his recovery. He believes Tafa's power gives him a chance, especially if de Lima is compromised. He notes Tafa's improvements and the fact that de Lima has been finished before.

"I'm actually going to go taffa here."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Feb 14, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

Daniel picks Junior Tafa, calling him a 'bad man' who swangs and bangs. He likes Tafa's power and youth compared to de Lima. He hopes Tafa can keep the fight on the feet and thinks he is worth a dabble as a dog.

"dog time TAA is the pick he's a bad he's a bad man he swangs and bangs... hopefully tofa can keep this on the feet but I think tof is worth a dabble as a dog here."
JE
Jeff Fox Expert Confident picked Feb 14, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

Jeff picks Junior Tafa as a dog. He is less worried about Tafa keeping the fight standing and more convinced that de Lima won't shoot takedowns quickly enough. He compares de Lima to fighters like Devin Clark who don't wrestle when they should. He warns that Tafa has one of the worst resumes of any UFC heavyweight, so he advises against betting heavily. He thinks Tafa's boxing will hold up.

"I think I'm gonna dabble with Justin tofa too uh I think I'm less worried about whether he can keep it on the feet and more kind of just convinced that Marcos Rogério de Lima won't shoot a takedown fast …"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 15, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

De Lima has solid power, good leg kicks, and a grapple-heavy style to neutralize Tafa's punching power. He has matured enough to take the fight to the ground and keep Tafa from getting off. Expects a decision win.

"give me Delma and Delma by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Feb 14, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Paul picks de Lima, citing his size and takedown ability. He notes that de Lima has a grappling advantage and can take Tafa down. He expects de Lima to use leg kicks and takedowns to win, though he admits he has no intention of betting this fight early.

"the pick for me right now will be Marcos rogerio Del Lima."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lean picked Feb 13, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

The MMA Guru leans toward Junior Tafa, citing his momentum and improvements, while noting Marcos Rogério de Lima is coming off a KO loss. He calls it a coin flip and admits he doesn't mind de Lima as an underdog. He mentions Tafa's KO power and de Lima's stagnation, but acknowledges Tafa's losses to Jared Vanderaa and Carlos Felipe.

"I'm going to lean towards Tafa... I'll take the momentum of Tafa, the improvements of him over the stagnation of Marcos Rodrigo Del Lima."
LOSS vs Derrick Lewis
TKO (punches) R1 0:33 · UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 · Jul 29, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Derrick Lewis 1 17 of 33 51% 20 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:29
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 1 of 1 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Derrick Lewis 1 17 of 33 51% 20 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:29
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 1 of 1 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Derrick Lewis 17 of 33 51% 16 of 32 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 16 of 32
Marcos Rogério de Lima 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Derrick Lewis 17 of 33 51% 16 of 32 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 16 of 32
Marcos Rogério de Lima 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Rogerio de Lima (-215), Lewis (+185)

Round 1
One day ago, this heavyweight slobberknocker that will almost certainly end in either a violent knockout or some serious huffing and puffing – possibly both – is now sitting pretty as the “Featured Fight of the Night” due to the cancelation of the Stephen Thompson-Michel Pereira contest. Hunting for his first win since 2021, Lewis (26-11, 1 NC; 17-9 UFC) still holds the UFC’s all-time knockout record, although Matt Brown tied it with him. He draws fellow knockout artist Rogerio de Lima (21-8-1, 10-6 UFC), and the structural integrity of the cage will be tested when these big men get after it. They lumber towards one another, not offering a glove touch, and referee Dan Miragliotta is ready to step in at a moment’s notice. Lewis shockingly leaps in the air, blasting Rogerio de Lima in the chops with a flying knee. Rogerio de Lima collapses to the ground, and Lewis jumps on top and starts hammering him with vicious ground-and-pound. Rogerio de Lima considers hunting for leglock while trying to survive, but he is in a bad, bad way. Lewis continues slugging him on the face and side of the head, and Rogerio de Lima bails on any possible sub setup and just looks to keep it together. Rogerio de Lima turns to his knees, and the writing may be on the wall here. “The Black Beast” continues swarming Rogerio de Lima with everything he has, and Miragliotta has no choice but to call the fight. Lewis unmounts his defeated opponent, takes his shorts off and starts gleefully running around the cage. He proceeds, in just his underpants, to triumphantly motion the crotch chop several times. Lewis jumps on the cage, happy as can be, celebrating in vintage Derrick Lewis fashion. The UFC’s knockout record now singularly sits in the lap of Lewis, who tells commentator Joe Rogan that his contract is now up and that he hopes to be re-signed by the promotion. If not, as he says, “it is what it is.” The rest of the top-notch post-fight remarks cannot be done justice by a simple play-by-play writeup, and must be heard.

The Official Result
Derrick Lewis def. Marcos Rogerio de Lima R1 0:33 via TKO (Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 23, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Angelo is very confident in Marcos Rogério de Lima, stating he is better everywhere except power. He notes that Derrick Lewis is always dangerous with his knockout power, but believes Lima's wrestling, BJJ, and leg kicks will be too much. He placed a 1-unit bet at -129 and notes the line has already moved to -190.

1 unit at -129
"I'm very confident in Marcos to win I have a one unit bed on him at -129 he is already at minus 190."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 24, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Big Brady picks Marcos Rogério de Lima to win by first-round TKO via leg kicks. He argues de Lima has more paths to victory: knockout to the head, leg kick TKO, or submission. He questions Derrick Lewis's durability, cardio, and mentality, noting Lewis has been finished early in recent fights. He expects de Lima's leg kicks to shut down Lewis quickly.

first round TKO via leg kicks
"I'm going to take delima first round TKO via late kicks I think a couple of these leg kicks just shut down Derrick Lewis fights over shortly after"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 26, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Derrick Lewis

Cody picks Lewis by KO, noting Lewis's power and ability to come from behind. He acknowledges Lewis's losing streak but points out the level of competition (Curtis Blaydes, Serghei Spivac, etc.) is much higher than de Lima's wins. He believes de Lima's cardio and chin are suspect, especially at altitude, and Lewis's heart and power will prevail. He took a small bet on Lewis by KO at +270.

Lewis by KO +270
"I took a small small shot on Derek Lewis by knockout at plus 270"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Jul 25, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

James believes de Lima should be a sizable favorite, as Lewis is past his prime and has lost four of his last five. He notes de Lima's leg kicks are a key weapon and that Lewis has poor cardio and doesn't like leg kicks. He expects de Lima to land leg kicks early and possibly finish Lewis, though he acknowledges de Lima also gasses.

"I still think that he's gonna win the fight cleanly there are Lewis at this point in his career is done in my opinion"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Jul 24, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

De Lima is on a good run and has power and leg kicks to slow Lewis down. He can also take Lewis down and smash him from top position. Lewis is on a losing streak and seems to have slowed down at 38. De Lima should be aggressive early to avoid Lewis's late power. I'm leaning on de Lima under 2.5 rounds.

under 2.5 rounds
"I'm gonna lean on to Lima in this matchup under two and a half probably my favorite spot but I think it's going to be delima who ends up getting his hand raised by knockout early"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 26, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Derrick Lewis

Paul also picks Lewis, emphasizing the talent gap: de Lima's wins are over lower-tier heavyweights while Lewis has fought top contenders. He notes de Lima's history of quitting under adversity (e.g., tapping to a forearm choke against Romanov). He believes Lewis's ability to get back up from takedowns and his power will be decisive, especially at altitude where de Lima's cardio will falter.

"I'm also going to take Derek Lewis on this one"
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Song vs. Simon · Apr 29, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 59 of 76 77% 76 of 95 3 of 7 42% 0 0 5:01
Waldo Cortes Acosta 0 82 of 150 54% 88 of 156 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:34
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 27 of 34 79% 33 of 40 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:35
Waldo Cortes Acosta 0 20 of 39 51% 23 of 42 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:34
2 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 15 of 19 78% 26 of 32 2 of 4 50% 0 0 3:00
Waldo Cortes Acosta 0 19 of 37 51% 22 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 17 of 23 73% 17 of 23 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:26
Waldo Cortes Acosta 0 43 of 74 58% 43 of 74 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marcos Rogério de Lima 59 of 76 77% 20 of 31 11 of 15 28 of 30 56 of 72 2 of 2 1 of 2
Waldo Cortes Acosta 82 of 150 54% 54 of 116 18 of 23 10 of 11 79 of 146 3 of 3 0 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 27 of 34 79% 7 of 11 5 of 7 15 of 16 26 of 32 0 of 0 1 of 2
Waldo Cortes Acosta 20 of 39 51% 7 of 24 10 of 11 3 of 4 17 of 36 3 of 3 0 of 0
2 Marcos Rogério de Lima 15 of 19 78% 6 of 10 2 of 2 7 of 7 13 of 17 2 of 2 0 of 0
Waldo Cortes Acosta 19 of 37 51% 13 of 30 4 of 5 2 of 2 19 of 36 0 of 0 0 of 1
3 Marcos Rogério de Lima 17 of 23 73% 7 of 10 4 of 6 6 of 7 17 of 23 0 of 0 0 of 0
Waldo Cortes Acosta 43 of 74 58% 34 of 62 4 of 7 5 of 5 43 of 74 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: De Lima (-180), Cortes-Acosta (+155)

Round 1
De Lima enters this heavyweight fight having won three of his last four UFC appearances. He’ll look to halt the momentum of Cortes-Acosta, whose undefeated record includes a pair of UFC triumphs. Herb Dean gets his first assignment of the card as the third man in the Octagon. De Lima stalks his foe and throws a front kick followed by a pair of calf kicks. A Cortes-Acosta body kick is countered by a de Lima right. A hard leg kick lands for de Lima and Acosta nods in acknowledgement. Another leg kick for de Lima and Acosta with a straight to the body. De Lima is heavily targeting the leg, and Acosta’s calf is swelling up early. De Lima punches his way into the clinch and he drags Acosta to the mat. Acosta gives up his back in an attempt to stand. Dean warns Acosta to keeps his fingers ot of de Lima’s glove. Acosta is able to stand and he throws a body kick. De LIma with another low kick and Acosta jabs the body. A solid right lands for Acosta, who shoots for a takedown. He doesn’t get it but he does shove de Lima into the fence. Acosta knees the thighs in close quarters. De Lima reverses position and the heavyweights separate. A counter left connects for de Lima, who then goes back to attacking the legs. Several more leg kicks land for de Lima, but Acosta answers with a spinning back kick. De Lima shoves Acosta into the fence, and they’ll end the round in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 de Lima
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 de Lima
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 de Lima

Round 2
Acosta opens with an inside leg kick and a jab. De Lima answers with a leg kick. Acosta is still moving well despite absorbing those leg kicks. De Lima makes Acosta stumble with a trio of leg kicks. Both heavyweights land body kicks. Acosta with a right hand, and Acosta answers with an uppercut. De Lima lands a right to the body. De Lima shoots for a takedown against the fence, lifts Acosta and plants him on his back. De Lima sets up hin his foe’s half guard. The Brazilian passes to mount and Acosta threatens with a kimura. Acosta gives up his back and scrambles to his feet. De Lima keeps his hands locked and then lands a few left hands before taking his man down near the fence. The Brazilian is back to working from half guard. Acosta gives up his back and scrambles to his feet. They swing heavy punches for a few moments. Acosta eats a leg kick and then makes de Lima stumble backward with a right hand. De Lima shoots for a takedown against the fence with about 30 seconds left. De Lima drops low, but Acosta defends and leans forward. They separate just before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 de Lima
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 de Lima
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 de Lima

Round 3
Acosta lands a clubbing right hand. Acosta lands a jab and de Lima responds with a low kick. It’s a measured beginning to the final round for both men. Another jab for Acosta and another leg kick for de Lima. Acosta lands a spinning back kick to the midsection. Another nice jab lands for Acosta. De Lima steps in with a left hook, but Acosta answers with a combination. A hard low kick hurts Acosta. Acosta jabs the body, then the head. A right hand lands for Acosta, and de Lima is just standing in front of his foe and eating punches. Another jab lands for Acosta. A three-punch combination lands for Acosta, and de Lima fires off another low kick. More jabs for Acosta, as de Lima’s output has slowed significantly. De Lima’s face is wearing the damage from Acosta’s jab. De Lima shoots for a takedown against the fence. He locks his hands but Acosta nonetheless defends the attempt. Acosta frees himself and touches de Lima with straight punches. De Lima makes his foe buckle briefly with a low kick. but it’s Acosta landing in volume as the round expires.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta (29-28 de Lima)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta (29-28 de Lima)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cortes-Acosta (29-28 de Lima)

The Official Result
Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 26, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Waldo Cortes Acosta

Cody picks Acosta as an underdog, highlighting de Lima's poor cardio and tendency to fade after the first round. He notes that Acosta has better boxing, volume, and a good gas tank, and can survive the initial onslaught to take over later. He suggests waiting for live betting to get an even better price on Acosta.

"the pre-flop pick is going to be the the underdog here but again I think you can get an even better price if you wait for that live market"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 27, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Connor is unimpressed with Cortes Acosta's limited game and showboating. He thinks de Lima's wrestling and better technique will be decisive. He notes de Lima's tendency to gas but believes Cortes Acosta lacks the technical game to capitalize. He sees de Lima as the clear favorite.

Odds mentioned: de Lima opened -107, currently -175. Cortes Acosta opened -103, currently +155.
"I'm picking de Lima."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Apr 26, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Waldo Cortes Acosta

Paul picks Acosta, agreeing with Cody that de Lima is not a good fighter and has terrible cardio. He notes that Acosta has better boxing, head movement, and a good chin, and can outwork de Lima in later rounds. He also mentions that de Lima is a light heavyweight who moved up and has a history of gassing.

"I'm gonna pick Waldo Cortez Acosta but probably a fight I'm more interested from a betting perspective in the live markets"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 27, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Zane agrees, citing Cortes Acosta's lack of technical foundation and de Lima's superior wrestling and speed. He notes de Lima's history of losing to more technical fighters after gassing, but Cortes Acosta is not that type. He sees de Lima as the rightful favorite.

Same odds commentary as Connor.
"I'm picking de Lima."
Submission (rear-naked choke) R1 1:50 · UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Allen · Oct 29, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 2 of 5 40% 3 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Andrei Arlovski 1 6 of 11 54% 25 of 33 0 of 0 --- 1 0 1:30
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 2 of 5 40% 3 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Andrei Arlovski 1 6 of 11 54% 25 of 33 0 of 0 --- 1 0 1:30
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marcos Rogério de Lima 2 of 5 40% 1 of 3 0 of 1 1 of 1 2 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0
Andrei Arlovski 6 of 11 54% 3 of 8 1 of 1 2 of 2 5 of 9 0 of 0 1 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 2 of 5 40% 1 of 3 0 of 1 1 of 1 2 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0
Andrei Arlovski 6 of 11 54% 3 of 8 1 of 1 2 of 2 5 of 9 0 of 0 1 of 2
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 25, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Big Brady picks Marcos Rogério de Lima to win by first-round knockout. He notes that Arlovski has been knocked out by power punchers and that de Lima has heavy hands, as seen in his knockout of Ben Rothwell. He mentions that Arlovski's recent wins have come against non-power punchers, and that de Lima's power and early finishing ability will be too much for the 43-year-old Arlovski.

de Lima wins by first-round knockout
"give me uh delima first round KO here"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 26, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Andrei Arlovski

Cody picks Andrei Arlovski as a dog, citing his four-fight winning streak and ability to win close decisions. He notes that Arlovski has been knocked out only by elite power punchers and that Marcos Rogério de Lima is a one-round fighter with poor cardio. Cody expects Arlovski to survive the first round and take over in rounds two and three, winning a decision. He is betting Arlovski.

"I'm gonna be betting on Andre arlovsky this week Cody"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 27, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Connor agrees with Zane, picking de Lima based on his speed and power advantage. He notes that Arlovski has been beating low-technique, slow heavyweights, but de Lima is a significant step up in athleticism. Connor also points out that de Lima can wrestle if needed, and Arlovski's lack of finishing ability means he likely can't come back if he loses the first round.

Same odds commentary as Zane.
"I'm kind of with you. Yeah."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Oct 26, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Daniel Levi picks de Lima, citing youth, power, and grappling advantage. He admits his poor track record picking Arlovski fights. He notes Arlovski's veteran savvy and speed but thinks de Lima's power and youth will be too much. He has no interest in laying -225.

"I'm gonna go with de Lima but you know minus 225 on a guy I can't trust I just don't really have much conviction or interest in laying that price."
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Lean picked Oct 25, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Jacob picks de Lima but warns against betting heavyweight fights due to inconsistency. He notes Arlovski's recent win streak but says he was getting hit by Jake Collier, and de Lima has more power. He advises not to put money on either side.

do not bet this fight
"my official pick if I have to pick is delima"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 27, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Andrei Arlovski

Arlovski is on a 6-1 run over his last seven fights and has shown durability and veteran savvy. De Lima is first-round-or-bust and tends to fade in later rounds. Arlovski should survive the initial onslaught and take over in the second and third rounds, winning a decision. The plus 200 price is a no-brainer for an underdog bet.

Arlovski by decision +275
"plus 200 onlovsky is a completely no-brainer uh bet you know he likely he should be able to get uh off on better shots in the second and third round"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 26, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Andrei Arlovski

Paul also picks Arlovski, calling him dog number two on the card. He highlights Arlovski's six wins in his last seven fights and his ability to grind out decisions. Paul criticizes de Lima's poor cardio, submission losses, and tendency to fade after the first round. He believes Arlovski's stick-and-move style will tire de Lima and lead to a decision win.

"I will as well I feel like I'm forcing an underdog play but again this is dog number two on the card that I'm zoning in on Andre Lassie these are the types of spots that he absolutely thrives in"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 25, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

The MMA Guru picks Marcos Rogério de Lima over Andrei Arlovski, noting that Arlovski's recent fights have been close and he still gets caught on the chin. He highlights de Lima's hands, reach, and grappling threat, which Arlovski hasn't faced recently. He predicts de Lima will mix in takedowns, push Arlovski against the cage, and eventually clip him for a KO win.

"I'm going against the old man himself Andre arlovsky... I feel as though Marcos rodrio de Lima mixing a takedown early... get clipped by Marcos Rodrigo De Lima"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 27, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Zane picks de Lima confidently, citing his significant speed and power advantage over Arlovski's recent opponents. He notes that de Lima is a fast, powerful striker who can put Arlovski away early, similar to how Ben Rothwell or Tom Aspinall did. Zane also mentions de Lima's improved conditioning and potential wrestling as an out if needed, while Arlovski is slow and not a finisher anymore.

Surprised odds are getting that wide; de Lima opened -131 now -237, Arlovski +111 to +191. Zane says 'I don't hate it' and thinks the matchup works well for de Lima.
"I'm going to pick Dilema here. I think that the speed and the power is enough that he can just kind of... go out and Ben Rothwell Arlofsky."
LOSS vs Blagoy Ivanov
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje · May 07, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Blagoy Ivanov 0 62 of 128 48% 75 of 142 0 of 4 0% 0 0 3:52
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 68 of 133 51% 81 of 147 1 of 5 20% 0 0 2:04
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Blagoy Ivanov 0 12 of 29 41% 15 of 32 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:32
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 25 of 45 55% 25 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Blagoy Ivanov 0 30 of 54 55% 33 of 58 0 of 2 0% 0 0 2:09
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 26 of 56 46% 35 of 65 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:17
3 Blagoy Ivanov 0 20 of 45 44% 27 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:11
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 17 of 32 53% 21 of 37 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:47
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Blagoy Ivanov 62 of 128 48% 53 of 118 9 of 10 0 of 0 54 of 118 8 of 10 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima 68 of 133 51% 46 of 107 18 of 20 4 of 6 58 of 115 10 of 18 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Blagoy Ivanov 12 of 29 41% 9 of 26 3 of 3 0 of 0 11 of 27 1 of 2 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima 25 of 45 55% 10 of 27 12 of 13 3 of 5 23 of 42 2 of 3 0 of 0
2 Blagoy Ivanov 30 of 54 55% 24 of 48 6 of 6 0 of 0 27 of 51 3 of 3 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima 26 of 56 46% 22 of 51 3 of 4 1 of 1 19 of 44 7 of 12 0 of 0
3 Blagoy Ivanov 20 of 45 44% 20 of 44 0 of 1 0 of 0 16 of 40 4 of 5 0 of 0
Marcos Rogério de Lima 17 of 32 53% 14 of 29 3 of 3 0 of 0 16 of 29 1 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2022 (7 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Angelo picks Blagoy Ivanov, citing his iron chin and combat sambo background. He believes Ivanov's chin will frustrate de Lima and that if Ivanov gets a takedown, he will have a clear advantage on top. He notes that six of de Lima's seven losses are by submission, providing a clear path.

"I do like ivanov or ivanov to get the win here i think his chin will frustrate de lima"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 2, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Big Brady picks Blagoy Ivanov to win by second-round submission. He notes that de Lima is dangerous early with power and leg kicks, but he fades and has poor takedown defense (47%) and submission defense. Ivanov is extremely durable, having eaten shots from heavy hitters and survived a stabbing. Brady thinks de Lima will win the first round but Ivanov will take over in the second, taking de Lima down and submitting him. He compares it to the Struve fight where Struve submitted de Lima after nearly being finished.

second round submission
"I think ivanov takes down to lima de lima's takedown defense is not good it's sitting at like 50 it's actually sitting at 47 percent and then on top of that his gas tank's not good his submission defense is …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 4, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Cody picks Blagoy Ivanov, emphasizing his incredible durability (survived stabbing, fought Fedor, Derrick Lewis). He notes that de Lima has poor cardio, weak submission defense, and relies on early power. Cody believes Ivanov can take de Lima's best shots and then take over as de Lima fades. He sees Ivanov's takedown defense and chin as decisive factors.

"i completely agree i think blagoy ivanov uh he just the way he matches up against roger de lima can give him a whole lot of problems"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked May 5, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Daniel Levi picks Blagoy Ivanov by decision, citing his durability and never being finished. He notes de Lima is powerful early but fades and has low volume. He worries about Ivanov's own low output but thinks he can grind out a win. He does not bet the fight.

Daniel does not bet this fight. He mentions Ivanov by decision but no bet.
"The pick is for me is going to be Ivanov by decision but I don't have a bet on either fighter in this matchup."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 6, 2022 (1 day before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

The host picks Blagoy Ivanov, citing his durability and ability to survive de Lima's early power. He notes Ivanov's chin held up against heavy hitters like Derrick Lewis. He expects Ivanov to weather the first round, then wear on de Lima and finish him later. He likes the round 3 prop at +1000 and decision prop at +185. He plans to bet 1.4-1.5 units on Ivanov moneyline, acknowledging the layoff risk but believing Ivanov is rightly favored and could be even shorter.

Ivanov round 3 +1000; Ivanov by decision +185; de Lima round 1 KO +800 as hedge
"i'm gonna likely take a shot on it maybe a like a 1.4 or 1.5 unit play on blagoy even off"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 4, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Paul picks Blagoy Ivanov, surprised the line is so close. He notes that Ivanov is durable and has never been finished, while de Lima gasses and has poor takedown defense. Paul believes Ivanov's takedown defense and chin will be key, and that de Lima's only path is an early knockout. He expects Ivanov to win by decision or late stoppage.

"i feel like blagoy is the side here and it's not particularly close i'm surprised that the line is this close"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 2, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

The MMA Guru picks Blagoy Ivanov, trusting his granite chin and consistency against a higher level of competition. He notes Ivanov went five rounds with JDS and arguably beat Derrick Lewis. He criticizes de Lima's inconsistency and believes Ivanov will grind out a close 29-28 decision by pressuring and winning stand-up exchanges. He dismisses the height difference as not significant.

"i'm going to trust him blagojev enough getting this one done um they say there's a massive height difference i don't think there's going to be too much of a height difference"
WIN vs Ben Rothwell
TKO (punches) R1 0:32 · UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodriguez · Nov 13, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 2 of 8 25% 2 of 8 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Ben Rothwell 0 14 of 24 58% 14 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 2 of 8 25% 2 of 8 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Ben Rothwell 0 14 of 24 58% 14 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marcos Rogério de Lima 2 of 8 25% 2 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ben Rothwell 14 of 24 58% 11 of 20 0 of 1 3 of 3 14 of 24 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 2 of 8 25% 2 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ben Rothwell 14 of 24 58% 11 of 20 0 of 1 3 of 3 14 of 24 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ben Rothwell

Angelo leans toward Ben Rothwell, reasoning that he only needs one takedown to finish, while de Lima needs 15 minutes of a clean game plan. He acknowledges de Lima's path to victory through stick-and-move but thinks Rothwell's size and durability are key.

"i'm ever so slightly razor thin ever so slightly leaning with big ben he only needs one single takedown to get this fight done"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 9, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Ben Rothwell

Big Brady is confident in Ben Rothwell, citing de Lima's atrocious cardio and tendency to fade after one round. He notes Rothwell has a legendary chin (not knocked out since 2009) and superior takedown defense. Brady expects Rothwell to take over as the fight progresses and predicts a second-round submission, as de Lima has been submitted five times.

Rothwell by submission in round 2
"give me ben roethlit a win and give me ben rothwell to win by second round submission"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ben Rothwell

Cody emphasizes Rothwell's durability (not finished since 2009) and de Lima's tendency to fade. He points out de Lima's poor takedown defense and submission vulnerability. He expects Rothwell to pressure, take de Lima down, and eventually submit him. He also notes Rothwell's 70% takedown defense and that de Lima gasses quickly.

Ben Rothwell wins by submission
"ben rothwell also he shows a 70 takedown rate or something uh he's given up one takedown since 2013"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 11, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Ben Rothwell

Daniel Levi picks Ben Rothwell by submission, predicting that de Lima will be faster and more athletic early but will eventually make a mistake and tap to a choke. He references Rothwell's history of opportunistic finishes, including the comeback against Brandon Vera and the gogoplata against Josh Barnett. Levi notes de Lima's tendency to quit when put in a choke, making Rothwell's submission threat a key factor.

submission, third round gogoplata
"it's gonna be big ben via third round go go choke"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ben Rothwell

Jacob picks Ben Rothwell, believing he will plod forward, make it dirty, and grind out a win. He notes that Rothwell has a granite chin and hasn't been TKO'd since 2009. Jacob thinks de Lima has no way to win except maybe a weird decision.

"i think ben just wins one of those fights that he wins he just plots for it boom boom boom boom a little bit of volume makes it dirty against the cage"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ben Rothwell

Paul notes that de Lima is a quitter when things go south and has a pattern of alternating wins and losses. He thinks Rothwell is durable, has better submission skills, and will wear de Lima down. He predicts Rothwell wins by submission in round 2, and mentions a prop at 13-1.

Ben Rothwell wins by submission (round 2) at +1300
"ben rothwell's the pick for me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 13, 2021 (fight day)
Ben Rothwell

The Guru picks Ben Rothwell by unanimous decision (29-28). He expects a close first round with de Lima landing big shots, but Rothwell's pressure and physicality will take over in later rounds. Rothwell will break de Lima down with clinch work and strikes, winning the last two rounds clearly.

unanimous decision 29-28
"i'm going to go with ben rothwell via unanimous decision"
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson · May 08, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 5 of 8 62% 60 of 72 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Maurice Greene 0 14 of 26 53% 166 of 228 3 of 4 75% 0 0 14:06
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 4 of 5 80% 23 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Maurice Greene 0 6 of 13 46% 58 of 88 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:29
2 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 0 of 1 0% 16 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Maurice Greene 0 8 of 13 61% 45 of 66 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:50
3 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 1 of 2 50% 21 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Maurice Greene 0 0 of 0 --- 63 of 74 1 of 2 50% 0 0 4:47
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marcos Rogério de Lima 5 of 8 62% 3 of 6 1 of 1 1 of 1 5 of 8 0 of 0 0 of 0
Maurice Greene 14 of 26 53% 11 of 23 2 of 2 1 of 1 3 of 10 1 of 1 10 of 15
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marcos Rogério de Lima 4 of 5 80% 3 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 1 4 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0
Maurice Greene 6 of 13 46% 3 of 10 2 of 2 1 of 1 3 of 10 1 of 1 2 of 2
2 Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 of 1 0% 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Maurice Greene 8 of 13 61% 8 of 13 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 8 of 13
3 Marcos Rogério de Lima 1 of 2 50% 0 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
Maurice Greene 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 6, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

Big Brady likes de Lima's power and leg kicks, and thinks Greene's poor striking defense (45%) and chin issues will be exploited. He notes Greene has zero takedowns in the UFC, so he won't exploit de Lima's weak takedown defense. Brady predicts de Lima will win by first-round knockout, as de Lima is dangerous early but fades after the first round. He says the under and de Lima in round 1 are good looks, but he wouldn't lay -190 on the moneyline.

De Lima by first round knockout; under 1.5 rounds
"I'm gonna take delima to win by first round knockout i think the under could be a very good look."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked May 6, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Maurice Greene

Daniel Levi picks Maurice Greene as a dog, citing de Lima's tendency to get submitted or panic on the ground. He notes Greene's length, volume, and opportunistic submission ability. He acknowledges de Lima's power and early-round threat but thinks Greene can survive and find a finish, possibly via submission. He calls de Lima a 'stunt machine' and expects a volatile fight.

"i'm gonna go with uh maurice green here to submit uh marcos"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 7, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Marcos Rogério de Lima

The host picks de Lima to win by TKO, expecting his power to be too much for Greene. He notes de Lima's poor cardio and jiu-jitsu but believes his power will get the job done early. He suggests live betting Greene if he survives the first round.

de Lima by TKO +120, fight won't start round 2 -150
"i think i would go with de lima by tko plus 120."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 3, 2021 (5 days before fight)
Maurice Greene

The MMA Guru picks Maurice Greene over Marcos Rogério de Lima, expressing surprise that Greene is a nearly 2-to-1 underdog. He believes Greene's range management with oblique kicks and jabs will neutralize de Lima's counter-punching style. He predicts a unanimous decision win, possibly 30-27, and notes de Lima's only chance is a KO, which he doesn't see happening.

unanimous decision, 30-27
"i am 100 picking maurice green here ... i think people are really underrating him because he lost to greg hardy but greg hardy is not a bad heavyweight"
Technical Submission (forearm choke) R1 4:48 · UFC on ESPN: Santos vs. Teixeira · Nov 07, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Alexandr Romanov 0 6 of 7 85% 10 of 12 2 of 5 40% 1 0 3:51
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 18 of 29 62% 27 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Alexandr Romanov 0 6 of 7 85% 10 of 12 2 of 5 40% 1 0 3:51
Marcos Rogério de Lima 0 18 of 29 62% 27 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Alexandr Romanov 6 of 7 85% 3 of 3 1 of 2 2 of 2 0 of 0 3 of 4 3 of 3
Marcos Rogério de Lima 18 of 29 62% 7 of 17 5 of 5 6 of 7 12 of 22 5 of 6 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Alexandr Romanov 6 of 7 85% 3 of 3 1 of 2 2 of 2 0 of 0 3 of 4 3 of 3
Marcos Rogério de Lima 18 of 29 62% 7 of 17 5 of 5 6 of 7 12 of 22 5 of 6 1 of 1
BI
Big Brady Expert Lock picked Nov 3, 2020 (4 days before fight)
Alexandr Romanov

Big Brady is extremely confident in Romanov, calling him an absolute beast. He highlights Romanov's undefeated record, his ability to slam opponents, and de Lima's poor takedown defense (36%). He predicts a first-round submission, noting Romanov has finished 67% of his wins by submission.

first round submission, fight doesn't go to decision (-500)
"probably my most confident pick on the card outside of like a minus five hundred chica chicatsu so give me rowan off here to get it done first round submission"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 6, 2020 (1 day before fight)
Alexandr Romanov

Daniel Levi picks Alexandr Romanov to win via first-round submission. He notes Romanov's 100% takedown rate in his UFC debut and his ability to hold top control and attack with submissions. He believes Romanov will take de Lima down, apply a schoolyard headlock, and finish the fight, as de Lima has been submitted four times in the UFC and tends to quit when pressured.

first round submission
"i'm going with alexander romano via first round submission"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lock picked Nov 2, 2020 (5 days before fight)
Alexandr Romanov

The host is extremely confident in Romanov, calling him as close to a lock as possible. He expects a first-round finish via ground and pound or submission, noting Romanov's relentless pressure, takedowns, and finishing ability. He believes de Lima is completely outmatched and that the line should be -500. He plans to wait for the inside the distance prop.

He is waiting for the inside the distance line, expecting it to be around -150 to -200, and plans to hammer it. He also mentions Romanov as a potential lock of the night play.
"He's as close to a lock of the night as you're gonna get in my opinion... i'm really looking for especially him inside the distance"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 1, 2020 (6 days before fight)
Alexandr Romanov

The MMA Guru picks Alexandr Romanov to win by first-round submission via arm triangle choke. He believes Romanov is too fast and powerful for Marcos Rogério de Lima, and will soften him up with kicks before taking him down and securing the choke. He notes de Lima's history of being submitted.

first round submission, arm triangle choke
"romanov gets it done by first round submission"
Expert Picks (7)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2022 (7 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Angelo picks Blagoy Ivanov, citing his iron chin and combat sambo background. He believes Ivanov's chin will frustrate de Lima and that if Ivanov gets a takedown, he will have a clear advantage on top. He notes that six of de Lima's seven losses are by submission, providing a clear path.

"I do like ivanov or ivanov to get the win here i think his chin will frustrate de lima"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 2, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Big Brady picks Blagoy Ivanov to win by second-round submission. He notes that de Lima is dangerous early with power and leg kicks, but he fades and has poor takedown defense (47%) and submission defense. Ivanov is extremely durable, having eaten shots from heavy hitters and survived a stabbing. Brady thinks de Lima will win the first round but Ivanov will take over in the second, taking de Lima down and submitting him. He compares it to the Struve fight where Struve submitted de Lima after nearly being finished.

second round submission
"I think ivanov takes down to lima de lima's takedown defense is not good it's sitting at like 50 it's actually sitting at 47 percent and then on top of that his gas tank's not good his submission defense is not good I think ivanov gets his first finish here …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 4, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Cody picks Blagoy Ivanov, emphasizing his incredible durability (survived stabbing, fought Fedor, Derrick Lewis). He notes that de Lima has poor cardio, weak submission defense, and relies on early power. Cody believes Ivanov can take de Lima's best shots and then take over as de Lima fades. He sees Ivanov's takedown defense and chin as decisive factors.

"i completely agree i think blagoy ivanov uh he just the way he matches up against roger de lima can give him a whole lot of problems"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked May 5, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Daniel Levi picks Blagoy Ivanov by decision, citing his durability and never being finished. He notes de Lima is powerful early but fades and has low volume. He worries about Ivanov's own low output but thinks he can grind out a win. He does not bet the fight.

Daniel does not bet this fight. He mentions Ivanov by decision but no bet.
"The pick is for me is going to be Ivanov by decision but I don't have a bet on either fighter in this matchup."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 6, 2022 (1 day before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

The host picks Blagoy Ivanov, citing his durability and ability to survive de Lima's early power. He notes Ivanov's chin held up against heavy hitters like Derrick Lewis. He expects Ivanov to weather the first round, then wear on de Lima and finish him later. He likes the round 3 prop at +1000 and decision prop at +185. He plans to bet 1.4-1.5 units on Ivanov moneyline, acknowledging the layoff risk but believing Ivanov is rightly favored and could be even shorter.

Ivanov round 3 +1000; Ivanov by decision +185; de Lima round 1 KO +800 as hedge
"i'm gonna likely take a shot on it maybe a like a 1.4 or 1.5 unit play on blagoy even off"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 4, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

Paul picks Blagoy Ivanov, surprised the line is so close. He notes that Ivanov is durable and has never been finished, while de Lima gasses and has poor takedown defense. Paul believes Ivanov's takedown defense and chin will be key, and that de Lima's only path is an early knockout. He expects Ivanov to win by decision or late stoppage.

"i feel like blagoy is the side here and it's not particularly close i'm surprised that the line is this close"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 2, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Blagoy Ivanov

The MMA Guru picks Blagoy Ivanov, trusting his granite chin and consistency against a higher level of competition. He notes Ivanov went five rounds with JDS and arguably beat Derrick Lewis. He criticizes de Lima's inconsistency and believes Ivanov will grind out a close 29-28 decision by pressuring and winning stand-up exchanges. He dismisses the height difference as not significant.

"i'm going to trust him blagojev enough getting this one done um they say there's a massive height difference i don't think there's going to be too much of a height difference"